Poetry and Potpourri ..... September 26, 2003

9-26-2003 | JustAmy; Mama_Bear; St.Louie1

[JustAmy]

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The Poetry Branch has been in limbo since the prior hostess left FreeRepublic April 15th 2003. We've since learned that said hostess has lost her posting privilege. That being the case, and Jim Robinson having given his ok, I wanted to renew the thread.

FreeRepublic is blessed with many fine poets, and we look forward to seeing their poems posted on FR once again. There were many non-poet FReepers who visited the Poetry Branch for the camaraderie; we hope they will return.

I would like to invite everyone to visit and relax at Poetry and Potpourri. Hopefully you will renew old acquaintances for chatting, sharing jokes, telling stories, posting cartoons, etc. Everyone needs a place to escape from the everyday news, make Poetry and Potpourri that place.

...................

The Belvedere's Guardian Wolf ~
the always charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf.

[Mama_Bear]

I'll be writing up my story for that thread I told you about.

Okay, Pip. Looking forward to it.

You have a great day, okay?

[MistyCA]

I think some of those moments are not necessarily meant to be shared in a way that those who have never known them will understand. Those are the moments that make us who we are and we can only hope that others find their own similar experiences with God and nature. JMO. :) Your failure to express adequately what you saw is not your failure at all, but rather the next guys inexperience and ignorance. Not anyone's fault. It just is.

[MistyCA]

BTW, I remember one occasion when I was in the shower thinking of nothing in particular. Suddenly a realization flashed in my head. I don't remember what it was about...probably something to do with the kids or life in general. I remember vividly thinking of my mom and it was like a light finally clicked above me. Alas! Finally! I could suddenly understand something she had told me years before! It's a part of the human condition and awareness. We so often need our own life experience before we gain awareness about what others have tried so hard to tell us before. :)

[MistyCA]

Thanks for sharing that, Lori. Hope your day is wonderful!

[Darksheare]

Sounds right.
I do know that I have a hard time expressing what I want to express verbally.
This is typical in a family full of artists and such.
Artists by nature can't express what they want to express with words and must resort to other means.
And when those means fail to convey what is intended..

*chuckle*
You two are probably right about some things just aren't meant to be shared like that.(paraphrased.)
Maybe there are things that aren't meant to be understood without seeing it in the firstperson?

[MistyCA]

I believe you are right. It's impossible. When you have to work that hard to express something, you are talking to someone who won't see it anyhow. IMO, anyway.

[JustAmy]

Submitted to Looney Limericks
By Noam Kuzar

There once was an old man of Esser,
Whose knowledge grew lesser and lesser,
It at last grew so small
He knew nothing at all,
And now he's a college professor

[MistyCA]

Agree100%

[Mama_Bear]

That certainly beats mine by a long shot. :-)

Now, stop that!! You write beautiful poetry from your heart. I have been amazed by some of the things I have read here from you and several other talented FReepers.

Gosh, dansy, don't ever compare your work to anyone else's. It stands on it's own. :-)

(((((((dansangel))))))))

[Darksheare]

I've had moments like that.
A friend of mine once said something to me, and I didn't quite understand it until after they had died.
(Then I kicked the snot out of myself for not 'getting' it beforehand.)

Such is life, and I admittedly am rather dense or possibly naive when it comes to life.
(I will be the first to admit naivete in some circumstances.)

[dansangel]

But, I mean, look at the date! Is that not unbelievable? The Chinese have been creating beautiful verse, paintings and sculptures for eons.

Just like the Greeks and Romans.

I'm always in awe of these ancient cultures and what they have accomplished!

Thank you ((((((Mama_Bear)))))

[MEG33]

I could see the scene but not what you saw..That's the magic.I did identify,I felt you had seen something I wished to see and felt something I have felt.

[MistyCA]

I think you express yourself beautifully. I truly believe the failure to communicate certain things is more the failure of a recipient to relate to your level of awareness. You said you tend to be on the dark side of things. The sad side. Who doesn't know sadness? I dare say, however, that few are as willing to confront it as you are. I truly enjoy those things you have written. I may not understand the full context of that experience, but I will recognize it when I see it. :)

[MistyCA]

LMAO! I'll buy that! :)

[Darksheare]

I think it was the combination of seeing the moon, and the sky clearing of clouds with the mooon shining through the ice on the trees, and the absolute stillness afterwards.
It was almost as if everything stopped for a moment and was watching.

I think life would be enjoyed more by more people if there were more moments like that.
Maybe there are more moments like it, but everyone is too busy to notice?
Too engrossed in the daily rush to pay attention to what's going on around them?

[MistyCA]

We are all naive. None of us has walked all the various paths in life. We all have plenty to learn.

[MistyCA]

You weren't here eons ago. :)

[Mama_Bear]

But, I mean, look at the date! Is that not unbelievable? The Chinese have been creating beautiful verse, paintings and sculptures for eons.

Yes, that's true, and that's exactly what I thought when I saw it.......Wow, written in 730!!

Asian artistic expression has always appealed to me. 'Less is more and simple is better', seems to underlie their art, in everything from poetry to floral design. (Their architecture isn't quite my cup of tea though, LOL).

[JustAmy]

Bolton Hot Pot

Originally this dish, like steak and kidney pudding, had oysters in it but they have long since become too much of a luxury to spare for a hot pot - anyway the Bolton hot pot is quite good without.

Serves 4

Best end of lamb - 900g (2 lb)
Onion - 1
Lamb's kidneys - 4
Mushrooms - 110g (4 oz)
Potatoes - 900g (2 lb)
Lard or dripping - 25g (1 oz)
Plain flour - 25g (1 oz)
Stock - 450 ml (¾ pint)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Sugar - pinch

METHOD

Ask the butcher to cut the lamb into pieces. Trim off most of the fat. Peel the onion and slice fairly thickly. Skin the kidneys if not skinned and slice them into little rounds cutting away the cores. Quarter the mushrooms. peel the potatoes, slice them into thin rounds and put them in a bowl of cold water.

Heat the fat in a frying pan and brown the lamb pieces on all sides. Transfer to a deep casserole dish using a slotted spoon to drain them of their fat.

Fry the onions to a pale gold in the same fat. Stir in the flour and let it brown then add the stock slowly, stirring all the time, to make a quantity of smooth gravy. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar.

Place a layer of kidneys over the chops then a layer of mushrooms. Season well with pepper and salt between each layer. Pour on the gravy and onions.

Arrange the potatoes on top, overlapping like scales, brush the top with a very little melted butter or dripping to keep the potatoes moist.

Cover the pot and cook in the oven at 170 °C / 325 °F / Gas 3 for 2 hours. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to brown the potatoes.


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Lunch is ready!!! You go ahead and start; I'm just having a grilled cheese sandwich.

[kneezles]

HAHAHAHAHA! Not this time. This time the dog broke it and I poured some concrete to where when she digs, she'll just grind her toenails! I'll fix her little red wagon! She only digs at the gates and breaks the pickets. The gates are harder to repair than the ones that Sassy rodes through!